This Is How You Should Pack: Daniel's Travel Essentials

By Team LAD

If you can survive its myriad hassles, travel can unlock horizon-expanding experiences. So we sat down with our resident travel expert – life/after/denim’s Brand and Product Manager, Daniel Lippman – before he jetted off to his next travel destination, and asked him what turbulence-proof essentials he packs when scouring the globe for fashion inspiration.

Looking to go on your own summer getaway? Read more and find how we can equip you with your own kit of travel necessities.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR CARRY-ON…

Daniel’s carry-on of choice is a GAP mini duffle bag in canvas and leather that he found over a decade ago in Japan. Simply put, he describes it as “the best duffle ever.” And here’s what’s inside...

FLY THREADS

Sure it may be the better half of a Canadian tuxedo, but whether Daniel is cruising at forty thousand feet, or huffing through the streets of Paris, Tokyo, and Milan, his Vintage Levis Denim Jacket is his signature. Okay, so he hasn’t entirely converted to life after denim, but we’ll try not to hold it against him.

We can't be too critical either, because we'll always cave in when it comes to a good chambray shirt. Because travel can be hard work, the Griffith Workwear Shirtis a great go-to piece. The perfect utilitarian fashion piece, this chambray shirt is comfortable – so you can breath when you’re cooped up on an airplane – yet classic – so you can wear it to lunch when you land.

Daniel Lippman, Brand & Product Manager

Unpredictable shifts in temperature – either in the air or on the ground – are difficult for a jetsetter to avoid, so Daniel relies on the Awash Hoodie. And who can blame him? There is truly nothing quite like the warm embrace of a hoodie to make you feel at home, even when you’re thousands of miles away.

TRAVEL TOOLS

Even in the age of digital-everything, any well-seasoned traveler remains grounded with pencil and paper. Daniel relies on a durable notebook and mechanical pencil to document light-bulb moments and throws in TSA-friendly scissors in case he wants to create an impromptu mood board.

Because travel shouldn’t be an obstacle to a well-made cocktail, the trusty W&P Design’s Carry On Cocktail Kitis the ultimate LAD accessory. The essential travel buddy, this kit has just about everything the mile-high drinker could desire. (Booze not included– that’s what the drink cart is for!)

Daniel also packs his 160 GB iPod and a trusty pair of headphones, because “Clearly, I feel the need to have my entire music library at my disposal.”

SO FRESH, SO CLEAN

Any man knows that he needs to keep all of the tools he needs to freshen up just a zipper away. Our personal choice? The Scout Original Dopp Kit. Inside of Daniel’s, you’ll find John Master’s Aloe and Rose Water Mist. Don’t judge– he hails this spray as the “the best post-flight funk remedy, and the best after-shave I’ve ever used.”

Another travel staple is Chinese Flower Oil, a balm made of a blend of herbs like lavender and mint. It’s great for easing headaches and other minor pains, but the real reason he carries it with him? “Because my Mom says never travel without it, and I know better than to not listen to a Chinese mom.” Enough said.

If you’re about to jet off to a new adventure and don’t quite know what grooming products you’ll need to pack away, check out Birchbox Man, a life/after/denim favorite. This monthly service delivers travel-sized samples of men’s grooming and lifestyle items… all carry-on-ready, so you (and Daniel) don’t have to stress it.

OUT THE DOOR…

Giving us a hint, Daniel checked his stylish timepiece, a vintage Breitling Navitimer 7806, threw on his Wayfarer glasses, and popped a stick of cinnamon gum. And while he packed everything back into his duffle, like a magician tidying up after a show, we dropped in an RSVP Handcrafted Leather Passport Holder– we’re sure it will become a favorite in no time.

And just like that, Daniel was out the door and on his way to catch his flight. While we can't help you get to your own travel getaway, we can equip you with the essentials you'll need to make your trip as awesome as possible. Enter our WANNA GET AWAY? GIVEAWAY to win over $1000 of travel essentials. Contest ends June 16th, 2017 at 11:59PM PST.